Cultivator.



J. E. EVANS.

CULT'IVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1914. LMU WQ, Patented May 25, 1915.

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CULTlVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31 1914.

LMQ WUO Patented May 25, 1915.

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JAMES E. EVANS, OF LYGNS, KANSAS.

GULTIVATGE.

riaosvo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 19115.

Application filed October 3, 1914. Serial No. 864,758.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. Evans, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lyons, in the county of Rice and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Cultivator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cultivator arranged to enable the operator in charge to readily shift the pole sidewise, relative to the main frame carrying the plows, to steer the cultivator properly.

Another object of the invention is to in sure a uniform equalizing pull of the team on the cultivator.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of a pole mounted to swing sidewise on the main frame of the cultivator, a

steering shaft journaled on the said frame, and a connection between the said steering shaft and the pole to swing the latter sidewise to the right or left from a normal central position. Use is also made of transverse arms mounted to swing forward and backward on the sides of the main frame and each carrying attaching means, a guide in the form of a pulley journaled on the said main frame, and a flexible connection passing around the said guide and connected at its ends with the said arms.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved cultivator; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the steering shaft and its connection with the steering chain, the forward bearing of the shaft being shown in section; Fig. A is a cross section of a modified form of the steering mechanism; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of part of the equalizing device; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the equalizing device.

The main frame A of the cultivator supports the plows B in the usual manner, and on the forward end of the said main frame A is arranged a vertically disposed pivot pin C on which is mounted to swing sidewise a pole D normally extending forwardly in a central longitudinal line of the cultivator. The pole D is provided with a rearward extension D guided between top and bottom cross bars E and E forming part of the main frame A. To the rear terminal of the extension D are fastened chains, cables or other flexible connections F and F, preferably by the use of an eye B, and the said flexible connections F and F extend transversely and pass around guide pulleys H, H journaled in bearings H H attached to the sides of the main frame A. The return runs of the flexible connections F and F wind around a steering shaft 1 and are secured thereto, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3, so that when the shaft I is turned in one direction one of the flexible connections is wound up while the others unwind. The steering shaft I extends lengthwise of the cultivator and is journaled at its forward end in a bar E (see Fig. 3) and the said steering shaft I is journaled near its rear end in a suitable bearing J attached to the rear cross bar of the main frame A. The rear end of the steering shaft 1 is provided with a suitable steering wheel K under the control of the operator for turning the steering shaft I to the right or to the left to wind up and unwind the ends of the flexible connections F and F correspondingly with a view to impart a swinging motion to the pole D in a sidewise direction to cause the teams employed for drawing the cultivator forward to steer the cultivator to the right or left according to the direction in which the pole D is swung. It is understood that by the arrangement described, the operator in charge of the cultivator can readily steer the cultivator to the right or to the left by turning the hand wheel K correspondingly as in doing so the flexible connections F and F exert a sidewise pull through the rear end of the extension D to steer the pole D to the right or to the left.

When the cultivator is taken from one field to another it is desirable to lock the pole D in normal central position, and for this purpose use is made of a hook L pivoted on the cross bar E and adapted to engage a staple L held on the rear end of the pole extension D. When the pole D is to be swung from one side to the other for steering purposes, as previously explained, then the hook L is disengaged from the staple L and engaged with a staple L held on the cross bar E.

Instead of a flexible connection between the steering shaft I and the rear end of the When the latter is turned by the operator turning the hand wheel K then a swinging motion is given to the pole D to the right or left according to the direction in which the hand wheel K is turned, it being understood that the rotary movement of the shaft I is transmitted by the pinion D to the rack D secured to the extension D.

In order to equalize the pull of the two teams employed for drawing the cultivator over the field, use is made of an equalizing device arranged as follows: On the forward ends of the sides of the main frame A are arranged transversely and outwardly extending arms N, N fulcrumed at their inner ends at N and N on the main frame A, to allow the arms N and N toswing forward and backward. From the outer ends of the arms N, N are mounted doubletrees O to which the teams are attached in the usual manner. The arms N and N are connected intermediate their ends by links P and P with vertically disposed levers Q, Q fulcrumed at their lower ends on brackets R, R secured to the sides of the main frame A. To the upper ends of the levers Q, Q are secured the terminals of a chain, cable or other connection S having its side runs extending rearwardly and inwardly to pass around the pulley T journaled on the main frame A. Now it will be seen that by the arrangement described an excessive pull of one team causes the arm N or N to swing forward whereby a rearward swinging movement is given to the other arm N or N thus showing immediately to the operator that the teams are pulling unequally and thereby enabling the operator to correct the inequality by urging the lagging team ahead. The levers Q and Q and the links P and P may be dispensed with and instead of them the terminals of the flexible connection S are directly connected to the arms N and N intermediate the ends thereof, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6;

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In an agricultural machine, a rectangular frame having top and bottom cross bars intermediate of its ends, a pole pivoted to the front cross bar of the frame and having rear extension extending between the cross bars of the frame, a longitudinally extend ing steering shaft having its front end journaled in the bottom cross bar of the frame and near its rear end in the rearcrossbar of said frame, guide pulleys on the side bars of the frame, cables having one end secured to the extension of the pole passing around the guide pulleys and their other ends secured to the front end of the steering shaft and winding in opposite directions thereon, and means for locking the pole in central position on the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. EVANS.

WVitnesses:

BENJAMIN F. HILL, MARGARET E. DAVIS.

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

